Eta Carinae NGC 3372 with Vixen ED80 Refractor and modified Canon550D, 8500 Lightyears distant or 2600 Parsecs, in the Constellation of Carina (The Keel of the Argo Navis, from mythology, Jason and the Argonauts' Boat. This are of the sky also comprises the constelations of Puppis and Vella) Taken from 9 of the best of 24x5 minute/300 second frames acquired over two very patchy cloudy nights on the 16th and 20th of December 2025.

It's still always amazing to be under even partially clear skies and these 2 nights(16th and 20th Dec 2025) were mainly cloudy and I was primarily just uncovering the telescope to check its function and state as we have had a very cloudy December.   I was tempted to try for the Rossette and Horsehead Nebulae around Orion but initial attempts showed theese objects just too dim and the sky too patchy to get useful data.  Fortunately around Carina, lowish on the southern horizon, there were enough useful gaps in the clouds to get some usuable frames.

NGC 3372